Performance Practice and Compositional Structure in Relation to Recital Preparation

Master's Project (M.Mu.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2017This paper examines the author's graduate percussion recital program; ?Corporel(1985) by Vinko Globokar (b. 1934), Child of Tree (1975) by John Cage (1912-1992) Rebonds b. (1989) by Iannis Xenakis (1992-2001) Ilijas (1996) by Nebojša Jovan Živković (b. 1962), Mourning Dove Sonnet (1983) by Christopher Deane (b. 1957) and e-home (2015/2017) by Elisabet Curbelo (b. 1984). The author offers an examination of performance practice and compositional structure as it relates to the author's performance of the material.Chapter One: ?Corporel (1985) -- Chapter Two: Child of Tree (1975) -- Chapter Three: Rebonds b. (1989) -- Chapter Four: Ilijas (1996) -- Chapter Five: Mourning Dove Sonnet (1983) -- Chapter Six: e-home (2015/2017) -- Work Cited

Beyond key velocity: Continuous sensing for expressive control on the Hammond Organ and Digital keyboards

In this thesis we seek to explore the potential for continuous key position to be used as an expressive control in keyboard musical instruments, and how preexisting skills can be adapted to leverage this additional control. Interaction between performer and sound generation on a keyboard instrument is often restricted to a number of discrete events on the keys themselves (notes onsets and offsets), while complementary continuous control is provided via additional interfaces, such as pedals, modulation wheels and knobs. The rich vocabulary of gestures that skilled performers can achieve on the keyboard is therefore often simplified to a single, discrete velocity measurement. A limited number of acoustical and electromechanical keyboard instruments do, however, present affordances of continuous key control, so that the role of the key is not limited to delivering discrete events, but its instantaneous position is, to a certain extent, an element of expressive control. Recent evolutions in sensing technologies allow to leverage continuous key position as an expressive element in the sound generation of digital keyboard musical instruments. We start by exploring the expression available on the keys of the Hammond organ, where nine contacts are closed at different points of the key throw for each key onset and we find that the velocity and the percussiveness of the touch affect the way the contacts close and bounce, producing audible differences in the onset transient of each note. We develop an embedded hardware and software environment for low-latency sound generation controlled by continuous key position, which we use to create two digital keyboard instruments. The first of these emulates the sound of a Hammond and can be controlled with continuous key position, so that it allows for arbitrary mapping between the key position and the nine virtual contacts of the digital sound generator. A study with 10 musicians shows that, when exploring the instrument on their own, the players can appreciate the differences between different settings and tend to develop a personal preference for one of them. In the second instrument, continuous key position is the fundamental means of expression: percussiveness, key position and multi-key gestures control the parameters of a physical model of a flute. In a study with 6 professional musicians playing this instrument we gather insights on the adaptation process, the limitations of the interface and the transferability of traditional keyboard playing techniques

A flauta explodida de Arthur Kampela : um guia interpretativo para Elastics II e Happy Days

Orientador: Silvio Ferraz Mello FilhoTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de ArtesResumo: Esta tese tem como enfoque as obras Elastics II (para flauta, violão e eletrônica) e Happy Days (para flauta e sons eletrônicos), do compositor brasileiro Arthur Kampela. A tese inclui uma visão geral das composições de Kampela para flauta e aborda vários aspectos de seu estilo e filosofia, da maneira evidenciada em Elastics II e Happy Days, considerando principalmente aspectos interpretativos de sua composição. O objetivo principal desta tese é promover a execução dessas importantes obras do repertório brasileiro para flauta solo. Talvez pela música de Kampela ser extremamente difícil e idiossincrática, ela não é executada tão frequentemente quanto merece. Para esse propósito, a tese inclui um guia detalhado de execução e uma análise das técnicas expandidas e da notação rítmica variada específicas da escrita de Kampela para flauta. Na intenção de ajudar os flautistas com a preparação de Happy Days, foi preparada uma edição digitalizada com dedilhados e conselhos técnicosAbstract: This thesis focuses on the works Elastics II for flute, guitar and electronics and Happy Days for flute and electronic sounds by the Brazilian composer Arthur Kampela. The thesis includes a general overview of Kampela's flute works and discusses various aspects of the composer's philosophy and style as evidenced in Elastics II and Happy Days, considering above all the interpretive aspect of his composition. The ultimate goal of this study is to encourage performance of these important contemporary Brazilian solo flute works. Because Arthur Kampela¿s music is extremely difficult and idiosyncratic, it is not performed as often as it deserves. To this aim, the study includes a detailed performance guide and analysis of the extended techniques and varied rhythmic notation specific to Kampela¿s flute writing. In an effort to assist flutists with their preparation of Happy Days, a digitalized performance edition with suggested fingerings and other advice has been prepared and includedDoutoradoMúsica, Teoria, Criação e PráticaDoutora em Músic

Hybridism: a practice-led investigation

Keele University PhD Thesi

Musical instrument mapping design with Echo State Networks

Echo State Networks (ESNs), a form of recurrent neural network developed in the field of Reservoir Computing, show significant potential for use as a tool in the design of mappings for digital musical instruments. They have, however, seldom been used in this area, so this paper explores their possible applications. This project contributes a new open source library, which was developed to allow ESNs to run in the Pure Data dataflow environment. Several use cases were explored, focusing on addressing current issues in mapping research. ESNs were found to work successfully in scenarios of pattern classification, multiparametric control, explorative mapping and the design of nonlinearities and uncontrol. 'Un-trained' behaviours are proposed, as augmentations to the conventional reservoir system that allow the player to introduce potentially interesting non-linearities and uncontrol into the reservoir. Interactive evolution style controls are proposed as strategies to help design these behaviours, which are otherwise dependent on arbitrary values and coarse global controls. A study on sound classification showed that ESNs could reliably differentiate between two drum sounds, and also generalise to other similar input. Following evaluation of the use cases, heuristics are proposed to aid the use of ESNs in computer music scenarios

Moveable worlds/digital scenographies

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ Intellect Ltd 2010.The mixed reality choreographic installation UKIYO explored in this article reflects an interest in scenographic practices that connect physical space to virtual worlds and explore how performers can move between material and immaterial spaces. The spatial design for UKIYO is inspired by Japanese hanamichi and western fashion runways, emphasizing the research production company's commitment to various creative crossovers between movement languages, innovative wearable design for interactive performance, acoustic and electronic sound processing and digital image objects that have a plastic as well as an immaterial/virtual dimension. The work integrates various forms of making art in order to visualize things that are not in themselves visual, or which connect visual and kinaesthetic/tactile/auditory experiences. The ‘Moveable Worlds’ in this essay are also reflections of the narrative spaces, subtexts and auditory relationships in the mutating matrix of an installation-space inviting the audience to move around and follow its sensorial experiences, drawn near to the bodies of the dancers.Brunel University, the British Council, and the Japan Foundation

A Multifaceted Performance Model for the Multiple Percussion Performance Practice: Performance Analysis of Select Works toward Developing a Graduate Curriculum

The purpose of this document is to articulate the various dimensions of the solo multiple percussion performance practice, the primary objective being to construct appropriate graduate curricula. It was found that the necessary skills and concepts could be categorized into four dimensions that make up the multi-faceted model: (1) equipment and setup, (2) notational style, (3) technical demands, and (4) conceptual performance. Requisite skills were posited from performance analyses of over fifty solo works that range from intermediate to advanced difficulty. Representative works are described that might effectively introduce and challenge these requisite skills and concepts, as are exemplary pieces that require their mastery. One piece that I performed for recital within my doctoral program was selected for each dimension to provide experiential details: The Anvil Chorus is used to describe equipment and setup, Psappha for notational style and devices, Thirteen Drums for technical facility, and Tunnels for the performance concept. I conclude the document with sample program curricula suggested for master’s and doctoral level, as well as curricula specific to each dimension of the performance model. It is my hope that the percussion instructor will use this model to analyze their own inventory and to include future additions to the literature for creating an effective and comprehensive graduate multiple percussion curriculum

Composer-Performer Collaboration in the Development of Kinabuhi | Kamatayon For Percussion and Electronics

This paper provides an outline of the collaborative approach taken in the creation of electroacoustic percussion work Kinabuhi | Kamatayon (2015) by Stuart James for performance by Louise Devenish. Written for eleven Indonesian bossed gongs and electronics, the work involved creative and systematic exploration of various percussive and electronic techniques with the primary aim of re-contextualising these instruments. This paper offers an overview of the collaboration process with percussionist Louise Devenish and how these techniques were used in the work. This includes discussion of the performance practices developed and a suitable notation system for effectively executing these compositional ideas

Theatrical Elements in Toru Takemitsu\u27s Voice and Karlheinz Stockhausen\u27s Zungenspitzentanz

The flute has long been recognized for maintaining avian or mythological roles within music. The repertoire of the avant-garde era, however, has vastly changed the aural expectations to include more aggressive sounds through the use of extended techniques. Even though so-called extended techniques are often viewed as a new development, several have been in practice since the fourth and fifth centuries. A historical overview of such techniques demonstrates their significance in contemporary music. More recently, the solo flute repertoire has included interdisciplinary art forms such as theatrical elements, a much newer concept that was integrated during the mid-twentieth century. Though rarely found within the solo flute and piccolo repertoire, dramatics such as spoken text and physical movement were first incorporated in Voice in 1971 by Tōru Takemitsu and in Zungenspitzentanz in 1983 by Karlheinz Stockhausen. The use of theatrics helps to define the formal structure of the pieces as well as enhances the mood of the works and creates visual interest for the audience. This combination of concert music with performance art creates a niche for musicians hoping to develop ensembles that can venture beyond traditional performance categories

Embodied gestures

This is a book about musical gestures: multiple ways to design instruments, compose musical performances, analyze sound objects and represent sonic ideas through the central notion of ‘gesture’. The writers share knowledge on major research projects, musical compositions and methodological tools developed among different disciplines, such as sound art, embodied music cognition, human-computer interaction, performative studies and artificial intelligence. They visualize how similar and compatible are the notions of embodied music cognition and the artistic discourses proposed by musicians working with ‘gesture’ as their compositional material. The authors and editors hope to contribute to the ongoing discussion around creative technologies and music, expressive musical interface design, the debate around the use of AI technology in music practice, as well as presenting a new way of thinking about musical instruments, composing and performing with them